Shocking video of racist bully on Sydney train

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 16 April 2015 | 20.01

This Sydney train traveller wasn't going to let the nasty rant of a racist go on any longer. Listen as she stands up for her fellow passenger. Courtesy: Stacey Eden

Facebook image of Stacey Eden, who came to the aid of a Muslim woman as she was racially abused on a Sydney Train. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook

WHEN Stacey Eden saw a Muslim woman being subjected to vicious verbal attack as they travelled on one of Sydney's trains, she did the only thing she could do – she stepped in.

Unable to contain her anger at the middle-aged woman who had launched this vile assault the 23-year-old launched her own assault by defending the Muslim woman while also filming the encounter on her mobile phone.

She then uploaded the incident on social media on Wednesday evening.

It has since attracted almost 80,000 views and praise from hundreds of people around the world, including the young family she defended.

In one post on Ms Eden's Facebook page a man named Hafeez Ahmed Bhatti wrote; " Stacey thanks again for your support for us on that day...I generally believe that you and many other Australians do respect all religions."

To which Ms Eden replied: "Hafeez Ahmed Bhatti thank you so much for contacting me.

"I wish I said more to you and your wife yesterday, but as I said when you got off the train, I'm very sorry you had to experience this.

"Please don't let one woman's ignorance change your opinions on Australia or the people who live here.

"I really hope your wife is OK, it must have been very confrontational and upsetting for you and her both.

"I wish nothing but the best for you both and your child.

"Take care and God bless."

So i sat there for a good 10 minutes before i started recording this, while i listened to this woman bad mouth muslims...

Posted by Stacey Eden on Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Ms Eden said she began recording the incident, which took place on a CityRail train travelling from Town Hall to the airport around 1.30pm on Wednesday, ten minutes after the woman began her tirade.

"So I sat there for a good 10 minutes before I started recording this while I listened to this woman bad mouth Muslims and call the lady sitting opposite me an ISIS supporter because she wore a scarf, then she told me to go join ISIS because I was sticking up for her," Ms Eden from Mascot wrote on Facebook.

"People like this make me sick. People who are so ignorant and disrespectful to other people who were clearly sitting there minding their own business.

"She was saying some pretty horrible and hurtful things before I spoke up then as soon as I started defending them she stopped.

"People need to stop judging and putting others down over religion!"

In the 48-second video, you can hear the middle-aged woman attacking the Muslim woman for wearing a hijab.

She then begins listing the recent attacks by Islamic State and made reference to the Martin Place siege, and the mass murder of Christians in Kenya in an attempt to justify her verbal assault of the defenceless woman.

But Ms Eden steps in telling her that the killings have nothing to do with her or her husband.

"'That is not her doing it," she says in the video. "That is a minority of people. Not a majority of people OK?

"It doesn't matter what they're doing. Have some respect, have some respect.

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. What's that got to do with this poor lady? What's that got to do with her?'

Video still of a woman who carried on with a racist tirade against a Muslim woman on a Sydney train. Picture: Facebook / Stacey Eden Source: Facebook

Ms Eden also defended the Muslim woman's dress saying she "wears it for herself, OK".

"She wears it because she wants to be modest with her body not because of people like you who are going to sit there and disrespect her," Ms Eden says in the video.

Since she posted the video, Ms Eden has been hailed a "great example of being an awesome Australian", a "legend" and an "amazing human being".

Ms Eden said she has been overwhelmed by the response and thanked all those who responded positively to her video on Facebook.

Facebook comments on the page of Stacey Eden, who came to the aide of a Muslim woman as she was abused on a Sydney train. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook


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The hell Aussie kids are living in

Not good enough ... the conditions in an out-of-home care facility. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

MATTRESSES on dirty floors, locked and almost empty kitchen cupboards — these are the shocking living conditions for children in the out-of-home care system.

The Australian Childhood Trauma Group told a parliamentary committee on Thursday of the treatment many children experience even after they are removed from at-risk family environments.

With the out-of-home care system likely to be discussed at Friday's Council of Australian Government's meeting in Canberra in the wake of the Chloe Valentine inquest, the Senate Community Affairs Committee examined the issue at a public hearing.

Disgrace ... a dirty mattress serves as child's bed. Source: Supplied

Chief Executive of the Australian Childhood Trauma Group Gregory Nicolau tabled photographs of the conditions he said many children in residential care are subject to.

RENDEZVIEW: 'I could have been Chloe Valentine'

Mr Nicolau said while there were many good examples within the care system, a significant number of residential placements were of very poor standards.

Locked out ... children in care are denied access to food cupboards. Source: Supplied

"There are mattresses on the floor and holes and marks on the walls," Mr Nicolau said.

"Children in the care services are forced to go and ask the workers if they can unlock cupboards when they want to access food.

"The workers often wear lanyards that clearly say that they are staff and they often go and lock themselves in their offices away from the children.

"When a child has already come from a traumatic family environment this is not the kind of caring environment that will help them on their journey."

The pictures Mr Nicolau tabled were taken in residential placements both last year and this year.

Shabby ... the lounge room of a home care facility for traumatised children. Source: Supplied

He said the conditions were standard in residential homes nationwide.

Mr Nicolau also said there was very little if any trauma support for children who had been removed from their families and placed into out-of-home care which created even more turmoil for those in the system.

He detailed the example of a nine-year-old girl who had suffered sexual abuse and was removed from her family, only to be dumped in a residential home where she was left in a room on her own.

Tragic case ... Chloe Valentine, with her grandmother, died of neglect while in the care of her mother Ashley Polkinghorne and her partner Ben McPartland Source: Supplied

Mr Nicolau said there needed to be an urgent Royal Commission into the care system to develop a framework that would provide vulnerable children with the right care needs.

"Placing more children in care is not the answer. Stopping children from coming into care in the first place is," he said.

"A Royal Commission will shine a light on this, as has been the case with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Chair of the committee, Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, said the images tabled by Mr Nicolau were "pretty confronting".

"It certainly doesn't inspire confidence that kids are getting the best support that they need in these situations," Senator Siewert said.

Liberal Senator Zed Seselja said the evidence presented by Mr Nicolau was "disturbing".

"It speaks to the fact the system is broken," he said.

"The system should prioritise putting kids in a safe, stable and loving environment."


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Do you care as much as Waleed?

On The Project, Waleed Aly delivered a very passionate expaination of renewable energy and how it impacts us in Australia. Courtesy: The Project

Getting real ... Waleed Aly stuns viewers with his report on The Project. Picture: Channel 10 Source: Supplied

WALEED Aly set Twitter alight when he delivered a surprising report on climate change that made people think twice.

The Project presenter outlined the Renewable Energy Target, which is meant to ensure that 20 per cent of electricity used in Australia comes from renewable energy sources by 2020.

Aly expressed disdain at the fact that Australia is one of few countries in the world to see a reduction in jobs and investments in the clean energy sector.

He was further frustrated by the reality that the Australian Government and the audience watching his segment "don't even care" about the issue.

"The truth is, no one cares," he said.

But his report was met with praise from viewers and respect from his fellow co-hosts Gretel Killeen and Chrissie Swan.

Do you care as much as Waleed? Tell us what you think below:


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‘Why I won’t eat KFC again’

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 15 April 2015 | 20.01

No longer finger lickin' good. Source: Supplied

ONE of the few people who have a copy of Colonel Sanders' secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices doesn't want to eat KFC ever again, labelling it "dreadful".

Raymond Allen was a personal friend of "the Colonel" and brought KFC to Britain but according to The Telegraph, the 87-year-old says the company has strayed so far from its original concept it's been "ruined".

"We have got one where I now live, but I would not go in there. I don't use it and I think it is dreadful. The company has ruined the product," Mr Allen said.

"Instead of staying with one good thing that was sellable, they have tried to compete with the other fast food units. They should have just stuck with the chicken."

Mr Allen did not give his verdict on whether the chicken still tasted the same as 50 years ago when he first met Harland Sanders, but his wife Shirley said the couple had visited a local KFC about a year ago.

"We had the traditional original chicken but there were so many different products it was difficult to know what to order. I don't think we will go back," she said.

Maybe they should have tried the DoubleDown burger? Source: Supplied

Or a zinger pie? Source: News Limited

Popcorn chicken? Source: Supplied

OK they could have a point ... Source: Supplied

The couple sold their business in 1973 after working hard to make it a success in the UK.

"It was slow to catch on at first because people didn't know what it was," Mr Allen said.

"In the UK in those days chicken was something you ate for Sunday dinner. It was way before its time. We had to give it away to passers-by initially.

"We would only use fresh chickens, and they had to be two and a half pounds in weight. It was initially difficult to source the chickens because of the demand."

Mr Allen still has a personal, handwritten copy of the secret recipe, which he said he had locked it in a safe.

"I have no idea how much it is worth but I would never sell it."

Remember when KFC went green and gold? Source: Supplied


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Plus-size model loses weight and her job

Plus sized model Rebecca Exton Russell has lost her job after losing 18kg. Source: Snapper Media

A PLUS-SIZE model who used to earn up to $3,000 a day has found herself out of work after losing 18kg.

Curvy Rebecca Exton-Russell, 37, posed in campaigns for big UK brands like Marks & Spencer, QVC and Dove, when she was a size 18.

But the model says she was secretly "repulsed" by her body and longed to slim down.

Plus sized model Rebecca Exton Russell says she was secretly repulsed by her body. Source: Snapper Media

Rebecca Exton Russell before her dramatic weight loss. Source: Snapper Media

After months at a boot camp she's gone from 88kg to 70kg, and now fits into size 12 clothes. But her work has completely dried up because she is too slim to fit in any outfits her clients expect her to wear.

Rebecca is now a size 12. Source: Snapper Media

Rebecca said: "I realised that I had lost all this weight but I effectively made myself redundant from my job as a model. I didn't mind because although I was always happy to smile for the cameras, I was desperately unhappy as a size 18."

"I had very little self-esteem and lost all my confidence. My body repulsed me. I knew that I needed to turn around my life and properly get in shape as I was wasting my life feeling so low."

Rebecca lost the weight after going to a military-style boot camp. Source: Snapper Media

Now that she's lost weight and work has dried up she's given up on modelling and opened a jewellery business.

She said: "I tried to carry on for a bit but it was never going to work. All the dresses I was being asked to model were way too big for me. They were hanging me off and I knew that chapter in my life had come to end."

Despite being out of a job Rebecca says she's happier now than she's ever been. Source: Snapper Media


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The best and worst jobs of 2015

Taxi drivers are unhappy with their jobs. Source: News Limited

It turns out, if you want to be happy in your career, you should study maths.

US jobs website CareerCast has released its annual Jobs Rated report, which analyses and ranks 200 professions from best to worst.

Four of the top 10 jobs in the list, which ranks professions based on a combination of income, work environment, stress and hiring outlook, focused on mathematics.

The number one job? An actuary — someone who uses mathematics, statistics and financial theory to assess the risk that an event will occur. Mathematician came in at number there, statistician was fourth, followed by data scientist at number six.

"Jobs in mathematics rank among the nation's best because they are financially lucrative, offer abundant opportunities for advancement and provide the opportunity to do great work in a supportive environment," CareerCast.com publisher Tony Lee said.

IT and healthcare jobs also did well, with high salaries and positive growth outlook for audiologists, biomedical engineers, dental hygienists, software engineers, occupational therapists and computer systems analysts.

The worst job? Newspaper reporter, which beat out lumberjack for the bottom position on this year's list due to its "negative growth outlook" and average annual salary of just $US36,267.

Other media jobs, including broadcaster and photojournalist, also ranked right down the bottom of the list. CareerCast.com noted, however, that those with good writing skills can often find new employment in public relations, marketing, advertising and social media, where the outlook may be brighter.

Taxi driver, soldier and firefighter also ranked among the worst jobs. "Although you might not be suited for the rigours of firefighting, serving in the military or working in the logging industry, some thrive in these dangerous and risky careers," Mr Lee said.

Thanks to declining letter volumes and cost-cutting measures, postman dropped into the 10 worst jobs for the first time this year with a growth outlook of -28.32.

The methodology for the rankings, which have been running for 20 years, includes a large number of variables. Environment — one of the four key criteria — takes into account both physical factors such as necessary energy, and emotional ones such as competitiveness.

BEST JOBS OF 2015*

1. Actuary (+3) $US94,209

2. Audiologist (+3) $US71,133

3. Mathematician (-2) $US102,182

4. Statistician (-1) $US79,191

5. Biomedical Engineer (+7) $US89,165

6. Data Scientist (N/A) $US124,149

7. Dental Hygienist (-1) $US71,102

8. Software Engineer (-1) $US9U3,113

9. Occupational Therapist (no change) $US77,114

10. Computer Systems Analyst (-2) $US81,150

WORST JOBS OF 2015*

200. Newspaper Reporter (-1) $US36,267

199. Lumberjack (+1) $US34,110

198. Enlisted Military Personnel (no change) $US28,840

197. Cook (-2) $US42,208

196. Broadcaster (no change) $US55,380

195. Photojournalist (-9) $US29,267

194. Corrections Officer (-3) $US39,163

193. Taxi Driver (+4) $US23,118

192. Firefighter (no change) $US45,264

191. Mail Carrier (-7) $US41,068

*Versus How They Fared in 2014 (With Midlevel Income)

(Source: CareerCast.com)


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Woolies’ Anzac site burns online

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 14 April 2015 | 20.01

Woolworths is being slammed for incorporating their own branding into a campaign to commemorate ANZAC Day. Source: Facebook

WOOLWORTHS have taken down an Anzac commemoration website after it attracted criticism for inviting users to share tributes of war dead under the slogan "fresh in our memories".

The "fresh food people" encouraged members of the public to share stories and profile-style pictures of loved ones affected by or lost to war by uploading images to a website that then branded them with woolworths logo and the phrase "Lest we Forget 1915-2015. Fresh in our memories."

The tribute was lampooned and met with some outrage on Twitter on Tuesday night.

"The Fresh in Our Memories website has been taken down this evening," Woolworths said in a statement.

"We regret that our branding on the picture generator has caused offence, this was clearly never our intention.

"Like many heritage Australian companies, we were marking our respect for ANZAC and our veterans.

The food retailer said the site was developed to give staff and customers a place to put their stories to mark the Centenary of ANZAC.

In an earlier statement, Woolworths denied the commemoration was a marketing ploy and defended its record of raising money for the Returned Services League (RSL).

Woolworths said its small logo on the site is in line with other corporately sponsored Centenary of ANZAC activity.

The site did not sitting well with some Australians — with many taking to social media to slam the campaign as tasteless. The hashtags "#FreshInOurMemories" and "#BrandzacDay" are also gaining momentum.

People are also mocking the profile picture generators by loading non-Anzac related pictures and posting the memes on social media.


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‘Blow me!’: Dennis Quaid’s onset meltdown

Dennis Quaid has been filmed throwing an onset tantrum — but is it real? Source: YouTube

DENNIS Quaid has been filmed having a supposed meltdown and lashing out at the production crew on the set of a movie.

A video has emerged of the 61-year-old actor losing his cool in an angry rant after a crew member apparently walked onto the set.

"What the f**k, keep going! I am acting here, and this d**khead wanders on to my set,' he yells.

"I can't even get a line out until dopey the d**k starts whispering in your ear, and you're not even watching any more!"

A member of the crew attempts to calm him down but he doesn't back down.

"No don't f**king 'Dennis' me! I am doing my job here — I am a pro!" he continues.

"This is the most unprofessional set I have ever been on. This is horse s**t!

"I've got these f**king zombies over here that I have to look at. I have a bunch of pussies staring at me ... and this f**king baby! This is garbage!

He then tells the crew to "blow me" before storming off.

But is this footage genuine?

One Reddit user, who claims to work for Jimmy Kimmel Live, says the video is all just a prank.


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‘How booze saved my life’

Eve Addison discovered she had Hodgkin's lymphoma after the tissue around her collarbone swelled up after a night out. Source: Picture Media

A BRAVE young woman has told how alcohol saved her life from a deadly strain of cancer.

Eve Addison, 24, from England, discovered she had Hodgkin's lymphoma after the tissue around her collarbone swelled up after a few nights on the town in September 2013.

The marketing manager initially thought she must be allergic to certain brands of gin and tonic, so she switched to others with no success.

Eve before her diagnosis. Source: Picture Media

By December, Eve had developed other symptoms and was given creams and anti-inflammatory drugs to deal with chest pain, night sweats and an all-over body rash.

She was handed the devastating news that the lumps were actually cancerous tumours in January last year, but has incredibly now been given the all clear.

"I suppose that, looking back, booze did save my life," Eve says.

A hospital selfie. Source: Picture Media

"I had been feeling unwell for a while and every time I went out, I'd come back with swelling and pain.

"I just thought nothing of it and when I went to the GP, I was told that there was nothing to worry about. When the doctor says 'don't worry, you're going to be just fine', you believe them, don't you?"

Eve was diagnosed with cancer at Royal Liverpool Hospital and underwent a gruelling six-month course of chemotherapy to rid herself of the disease. She was left drained by the treatment and battled septicaemia and a blood clot as well as losing muscle strength.

Eve after her last round of chemotherapy. Source: Picture Media

She also froze her eggs just in case the treatment rendered her infertile.

"I was diagnosed then started chemo almost instantly and then it was my first day at my new job just days afterwards — I'm a tough cookie," Eve says.

"I lost a lot of muscle and I was so drained all the time. I was too tired and in so much pain that I could barely stand up.

"Even though I was only 23, I felt like I had the body of a 90-year-old."

Eve is now cancer-free. Source: Picture Media

Eve was rewarded for her courage when she was handed the all-clear last September. She shared the moment she found she was cancer-free with dad David, 63, and mum Sharon, 54.

It was a double celebration for Eve when sister Amy, 26, gave birth to baby son Luke six days after the all-clear. She now wants to run the Race for Life in her hometown of Ainsdale, Merseyside, in July.

But despite the harrowing experience, Eve insists she has learnt a lot about herself through fighting cancer.

Eve back at work at property firm X1 Lettings. Source: Picture Media

"It's indescribable how happy I was to get the all-clear — I've never felt happiness like it," she says.

"And my mum was the happiest person in the room when I heard the news. All of my family were so proud of me for getting through it.

"I have such a better perspective in life from beating cancer. The lessons I learnt from it have made me much more appreciative of what I have in life and I feel like I'm oddly lucky."


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‘My voice fits on their face’

Written By Unknown on Senin, 13 April 2015 | 20.01

Meet some of the dubbers who become the voice of Hollywood stars in Germany, Italy and Spain.

A country mourned the death of Constantino Romero. Picture: Gianni Ferrari/Cover/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

WHEN 'Arnold Schwarzenegger' died in 2013, an entire country went into mourning — not for the Hollywood actor, but for the man who had been his 'voice' for almost 30 years.

While dubbing is a bit of a joke to many Aussies – whose exposure is likely limited to the clumsy efforts on shows like Monkey Magic - in countries like France, Italy, Spain and Germany, the practice of inserting new voices over a movie's original soundtrack is so common, it has become an art in itself.

Constantino Romero is one of a small number of voice actors in non-English speaking countries who have become so closely linked to the actors that they dub, their deaths or retirement can cause huge uproar in their home countries.

For years audiences were comforted, frightened and entertained by Romero's rich, masculine voice which delivered Schwarzenegger's classic Terminator line "I'll be back", as well as nailing Clint Eastwood's tough persona, delivering a menacing performance as Darth Vader in Star Wars and reassuring them with Mufasa's wisdom in The Lion King.

No wonder many Spaniards were in tears at learning of Romero's death and that a "legend movie voice ... had disappeared forever".

When a voice actor can match the rhythm and unique mannerisms of a particular Hollywood star closely, they can become that actor's "designated voice" for decades, even inspiring loyalty among fans.

"You need to really follow the performance of the actor on the screen to remain believable," the German voice of Daniel Craig told BBC.

"That means mimicking his movements so that they become your own. The goal is that the audience thinks that Daniel Craig actually speaks German."

The German 007, Dietmar Wunder, is so closely associated with the role that strangers often ask him to repeat some of the secret agent's catchphrases.

"It can get tiring," he told the New York Times.

Paul Mariano, who has travelled around the world meeting the 'voices' of George Clooney for his crowd-funded documentary Being George Clooney, said there was an outcry when the actor's German voice was changed.

Audiences had become familiar with Detlef Bierstedt as the voice of Clooney in ER and many of the star's earlier films but he was dumped after director Steven Soderbergh decided he wanted someone different for the Ocean's Eleven films. Soderbergh selected Martin Umbach to be Clooney's new German voice as he thought his voice was closer to the actor's actual voice.

Detlef Bierstedt was replaced as the German Voice of George Clooney. Picture: Jorn Tomter, www.tomter.net. Source: Supplied

"There was an outcry on social media, on web forums, debating which was the better voice," Mariano told news.com.au.

"Audiences get accustomed to a voice so when they change the voice they get very angry about it.

"Just imagine if Hugh Jackman was talking in a film and my American voice came out, people in Australia would be outraged and upset because they wouldn't want to hear my voice."

He said that suddenly seeing a favourite actor with a different voice could be disorientating for audiences and eventually Bierstedt was reinstated as the German voice of Clooney.

Mariano said that after meeting many different 'voices' of Clooney around the world, he thought there was one thing they all had in common.

"Some countries chose someone with a similar voice, while others ... want to hear something in that voice.

"All the George Clooneys had deep voices, they all had smooth voices, they may not sound like George Clooney but they have a similar timbre in their voice, they are not trying to replicate or imitate his voice, it's more about the quality of their voice."

"As the Italian (Clooney) said 'I don't have the voice of a little boy, I have a deep voice ... my voice fits on their face'."

Delivering a masterful dub also requires technical expertise and a good translation. It usually takes more words to say something in German than in English, but to be believable in imitating English speakers, voice actors have to keep the same amount of syllables, and mimic the rhythm of the screen actor's open and closed lips. This is one reason why a general translation is used, rather than a word-for-word translation.

Finding a local phrase to convey the meaning of American slang is also a painstaking task as a strict translation may not make sense. One famous example of how it can go terribly wrong appeared in Casablanca, when the famous phrase "Here's looking at you, kid", was translated to "Look into my eyes, babe" in German.

Look into my eyes babe: Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in a scene from the film Casablanca. Picture: AP Photo/Warner Bros Source: AP

Meanwhile for those who have always wanted to know what Bill Murray whispers to Scarlett Johansson in the last scene of Lost in Translation, which is unclear in the English version, you can just grab a copy of the Spanish version, where he whispers that she is the best thing that has ever happened to him, a change that has flabbergasted some moviegoers.

Lost in translation, but not in Spanish: Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Source: News Corp Australia

In fact the best compliment you can give a voice artist is that no one notices the dubbing. Unfortunately in some cases this has also led to them being treated as if they are invisible. Mariano said many were not well paid for their performances despite dubbing being a billion dollar industry.

"They are very much under recognised and unappreciated in the industry, considering the movies sometimes make millions, they get paid a pittance," Mariano said.

Some have estimated that top performers can make US$15,000 to $20,000 per movie, and Mariano said rates varied from country to country. Those who became the "designated voice" of a famous star like Clooney got more than those voicing secondary actors, still, very few could live off their dubbing work. Many were also actors, or did other voice work such as reading audio books, or narrating documentaries and video games.

"As one subject said, 'this is unfair', an actor in a movie gets a few million dollars, they may get a few hundred or a few thousand," Mariano said.

Mariano said good dubbing could also make a substantial difference to the financial success of a film. It was crucial for movies like Battleship or John Carter, which in the US domestic market both failed to generate over $100 million, the figure used by many in the industry as the benchmark of success. But after the two movies were released overseas they went on to make more than $200 million overall, Mariano said.

"That's because of dubbing ... that's a lot more money, a lot of these movies when they go abroad may make 60 or 70 per cent of their worldwide box office."

Despite this valuable contribution, voice artists are often not even listed in the credits, invited to opening nights or if they are, they are ignored.

Luckily the lack of recognition among the industry has not prevented some from becoming celebrities themselves among audiences in their home countries.

"They are recognised in their country and loved, some of them are visually recognised, others are recognised by their voice," Mariano said.

"For a lot of these actors their voices are very famous but their faces are not."

When Sex and the City ended, Germany, like many other countries around the world mourned the loss of the television show's familiar characters. But shortly after the show ended, the reassuring voice of Carrie made a reappearance on German radio, and the voice artist continued to make a career out of giving listeners advice on love and lovemaking. Others use their famous voices to sell products on radio commercials.

And the work of voice artists is not always ignored by their famous counterparts. When Robin Williams won an Oscar in 1998 for his performance in Good Will Hunting, he reportedly sent a note to his German voice, Peer Augustinski: "Thank you for making me famous in Germany," it said.

Many film lovers turn their noses up at dubbing and especially among young people in countries with good English literacy, they increasingly want to watch the original version of a film. But Mariano said he did not think the practice would stop. In fact it is gaining popularity in huge markets like China, Russia and Brazil.

Mariano said countries with a lower English literary rate still enjoyed dubbed movies, while others were just accustomed to watching movies in their own language.

"I don't think dubbing is dying, I still think it is very popular and people still enjoy seeing Hollywood actors speaking their own language whether it's German, Spanish or Turkish ... they just love their own language."


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Madonna’s pash stuns horrified Drake

Look out ... Madonna pashes singer Drake on-stage at Coachella. Source: Getty Images

SHE's never been one for holding back when it comes to raunchy on-stage kisses with the opposite — or same — sex.

But Madonna wouldn't have been expecting the horrified reaction of Canadian singer Drake when she unexpectedly French-kissed him while performing at Coachella.

TEN MOST AWKWARD CELEBRITY KISSES

After belting out her classic song of female empowerment Express Yourself, the 56-year-old pop legend pulled the 28-year-old singer back in his chair to plant a heavy kiss on his lips.

To the screams of fans, the pair made out for at least three seconds.

Cougar town ... Drake looks slightly scared as Madonna goes on the prowl at Coachella. Source: Getty Images

What Madonna didn't see was the shocked musician's horrified expression after she went in for her mega pash, even wiping his mouth afterwards.

Like a tiger ... Madonna didn't hold back when she French-kissed Drake. Source: Getty Images

Dressed in thigh-high black boots and a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Big as Madonna", the mother of four was in typical feisty form as she promoted her album Rebel Heart.

Perhaps the age difference of almost 30 years was a bit too much for the seriously unimpressed Drake — who has dated pop diva Rihanna — to handle.


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Message for Aussies at Gallipoli

Australian spies have been sent to Turkey ahead of Anzac Day celebrations amid heightened security concerns.

AUSTRALIAN authorities insist the Gallipoli peninsula will be one of the safest places to be in Turkey in a fortnight's time despite reports the Anzac commemorations could be a high-value target for terrorists.

Gallipoli services director Tim Evans says the 8200 Australians attending the dawn service at North Beach and the later memorial at Lone Pine should be "alert but not alarmed".

"I think attending the services will probably be one of the safest places you can be in Turkey on April 24 and 25," Mr Evans told AAP.

"There is no expectation that Australians themselves, and particularly Australians attending the commemorative event, represent a target.

"So any Australian that goes to Gallipoli should be reasonably confident that they are attending a service that is well secured, in an area of Turkey where the threat level to Australians is nowhere near as high as it might be in the more easterly areas of the country."

Last week an intelligence source said Anzac Day at Gallipoli would be a "high-value target" for Islamic State terrorists who have seized large parts of neighbouring Syria and Iraq. ASIO, ASIS and Australian Federal Police officers have been deployed to Turkey in recent weeks.

Mr Evans wouldn't comment on that report but stressed Turkish authorities were responsible for securing the peninsula.

More than 8000 Australians are expected to attend ANZAC Day commemorations in Turkey. Pictured, Sam Worthington in Deadline Gallipoli. Picture: Matt Nettheim. Source: Supplied

It's expected there'll be 4000 Turkish jandarma and national police present — an increase of 40 per cent on previous years — as well as the coast guard and at least 1000 soldiers from the 2nd army corps.

"They take their responsibilities very seriously and the number of security personnel will be much larger this year than in previous years," Mr Evans said from Turkey.

"The Turks are quite properly alert to the high-profile and larger number of guests they've got." Prince Charles and Prince Harry will attend the international and Commonwealth services on April 24 as well as the Australian and New Zealand commemorations on April 25.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will be on the peninsula along with his New Zealand counterpart, John Key, and other high-profile leaders from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Turkey itself.

"The Turks are well-practised at this," Mr Evans said.

"They've been effectively undertaking dress rehearsals for the last couple of years and reached a fairly high standard last year. "We've got well-established practices that have been developed between Turkey, Australia and New Zealand over a number of years." Lessons have been learnt after an incident in 2013 when dual Turkish-Australian national Ali Riza Ersoy started yelling during the dawn service and rushed the main stage.

It took minutes for Turkish authorities to intervene and manhandle the then 65-year-old protester out of the commemorative site.

Mr Evans, a Department of Veterans' Affairs assistant secretary who's been services director since 2010, says there'll be an additional screening point this year for the 100th anniversary. Attendees will pass through airport-style screening, including bag searches, at a new holding area at Mimoza Park some 3.5km before North Beach and then again, as per previous years, at the dawn service commemorative site itself and when entering Lone Pine. "To quote a previous Australian prime minister (John Howard) I think people should be alert but not alarmed," Mr Evans said. "One should not be blase but this is a very well-planned event." The services director urged visitors to still be careful, keep an eye on the news and register on the Department of Foreign Affairs' Smartraveller website.

Tanya Chalker- Holz will attend the ceremony. Picture Waide Maguire. Source: News Corp Australia


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Is this the ugliest Real Housewives fight ever?

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 12 April 2015 | 20.01

Real Housewives of Melbourne, episode 8 recap: Gina and Jackie's incredible bogan slanging match Source: Foxtel

LAST week's episode of The Real Housewives of Melbourne ended on a sour note: Gina and Pettifleur were sniping at each other during dinner on their holiday in the Philippines, with Gina warning the newer girl on the block to "back off".

We're still at dinner as this week's episode opens, but tensions seem to have momentarily cooled.

Instead, Pettifleur's delivering her usual Amway-meets-Scientology sermon about the benefits of Switching the Bitch to a table of women whose expressions range from polite endurance to flat-out boredom.

"I've enriched my bitch to be so happy and so content in my life that I don't allow anything nasty or horrible to bother me, like Gina's constant comments," she says.

"There's some comments that she makes about my accent … and my colour …"

WELL. This is a bombshell. Sure, we've seen Gina crack a couple of (rather innocuous) jokes about Pettifleur's accent, but has she really been denigrating the colour of her skin? Is Gina a flat-out racist?

Gamble doesn't take the accusation well.

"As president of the Gina Liano fan club I DEMAND AN APOLOGY!" Source: Foxtel

"She has not, you LIAR! You LIAR, she NEVER mocked your colour!"

Turns out that, after a man spoke to Pettifleur when they arrived at Manila airport, Gina remarked that he might have assumed her to be a local. To Pettifleur, such a comment is "somewhere between ignorant and racist," while Gina asks, "Why is that an insult?"

Now it's Jackie's time to #shineshineshine. She jumps in to allege that, when she, Gina and Janet were appearing on a recent talk show, Gina asked her cast mates how they could "throw the two new girls under the bus."

Jackie then claims that Gina called Gamble's partner Rick a "lunatic" for not remembering her the second time he met her.

Frankly, this seems entirely reasonable to us — if you meet someone who resembles the love child of Maria Venuti and Mufasa from The Lion King once and you don't remember them, you are probably in need of an MRI.

These allegations don't fly with Gina, who quickly tells Jackie to "f*ck off."

"You f*ck off, cos you're full of it! You get f*cked," Jackie says, delivering an offensive arm gesture with a theatrical flourish. "You are so full of sh*t and I can't stand it!"

And with that, the other ladies quietly and intently hid their steak knives under the table. Source: Foxtel

Shaking with anger, Jackie then challenges Gina to that old Today Tonight staple, a lie-detector test.

"You don't need a lie-detector test, I WAS THERE!" Janet screams, but no one seems to be listening.

From there, things get even uglier — this is an honest to god transcript of the conversation between these two rich, powerful adult women:

Gina: "I'm never talking to you again!"

Jackie: "I'm never talking to YOU again!"

Gina: "F*CK. OFF."

Jackie: "YOU f*ck off!"

Gina: "You're an idiot."
Jackie: "YOU'RE an idiot!"

Why mourn the slow death of Australian scripted drama when reality TV delivers such rich, textured dialogue?

Hankering for some camera time, Janet then starts overreacting bizarrely to Gina's every jibe about Jackie.

"She is NOT delusional, that's a terrible thing to say! She's NOT mad, don't say that! Stop that! She is NOT possessed, how dare you! Stop that!"

It's all delivered with her best 'why are mummy and daddy fighting' face:

"Hello, Kids Helpline? I'm a 58-year-old Toorak Property Developer and I'm really upset" Source: Foxtel

The slanging match continues, with Jackie telling Gina she's "the biggest lying sack of sh*t" she's ever met in her life.

Lydia sums up the mood of the other women at the table: "Shut up, everybody … seriously."

Jackie then drops another big allegation: that GINA was the first to know all about Gamble's Sexy Sexual Sex Rumours, and thus pitted Gamble against Janet just for fun.

Are you keeping up with all this? There will be a test.

Print these Jackie Gillies reaction shots out and keep them on hand to use during family disagreements Source: Foxtel

Jackie closes her argument with this classy little jab at Gina:

"When's the last time you had a shaaaaag? [LIVING for her delivery of the word 'shag', just FYI] That's what you need, a root. A bloody good root."

Don't we all, babes.

The next day, as the restaurant no doubt re-evaluates its policy on group bookings and offers gift vouchers to nearby diners, Lydia sits Gamble down at the hotel bar to give her a warning about Gina.

"I think it's gorgeous that you two have become so close. There's a lot of layers to her though, and you haven't seen them yet. She can be stubborn. She does put people down if she doesn't want to know them."

She encourages Gamble to trust what Jackie says — the woman's a psychic, after all.

"Well, we all have our own thing — I mean, I'm a devout Darwinist," is Gamble's non-sequitur of a response. Lydia's face says suggests doesn't quite follow:

Darwinism, Lydia: it's the process of natural selection in which the stupid eventually die out — actually never mind. Source: Foxtel

After delivering her warning to Gamble, Lydia meets her housekeeper Joanna's Filipino parents, and given her emotional reaction upon seeing them, one has to wonder if they aren't actually her parents too.

"Obviously Joanna speaks so highly of me, and her parents were emotional because they know how much I look after their daughter and how caring I am," she tells us. Humble, too.

"Just like we rehearsed, Dario: speak slowly, remain calm, and hopefully she'll give us back our daughter." Source: Foxtel

Joanna's parents thank the rich white lady for meeting with them, for bringing them gifts, and for employing their daughter.

Lydia's response is super-creepy:

"She's MY daughter," she tells Joanna's Actual Real Mother. "In Australia, she's MY daughter. She's family, because she knows so much about my life."

Umm, if knowing absolutely everything there is to know about someone is enough to make them family, then why isn't Victoria Beckham my mum yet?

Lydia presents the couple with a picture frame, in which she instructs them to "put a beautiful photo of Joanna and I."

"Oh …. OK," says Joanna's mum.

Lydia then meets Joanna's adorable young nephew — and immediately starts instructing HIM to call her 'Mama'. SOMEBODY TAKE THE CHILD FROM LYDIA PLEASE.

Later in the day, Pettifleur and Gamble return to the hotel bar for an afternoon cocktail. As Pettifleur announces that her personal style is about "understated sophistication," the camera pans out to reveal that she's wearing the sort of ensemble Baz Luhrmann might dub 'a little too showy':

It takes a brave woman to team a foot-long fly with flesh-coloured body panelling. Source: Foxtel

"I saw Pettifleur and I nearly fell over. She looked like she could be fired out of a cannon!" says Gamble, wide-eyed.

The two sit down and, after eight episodes of sniping, attempt to make a fresh start with one another. Pettifleur explains that she hasn't felt very supported by Gamble, who she views as "a little puppy dog being protected by the big guard dog, Gina."

Quite rightly, Gamble says she hasn't offered much support because she doesn't have a lot of patience with terribly condescending, passive-aggressive statements like that.

Pettifleur then asks why Gamble refers to her as 'Nouveau Riche Barbie', which implies she's a cashed-up bogan with more money than sense.

"Why would you say that I spend my money frivolously?" she asks, looking for all the world like she covered her head in glue and did a forward-roll through a Goldmark jewellers.

"I do NOT waste money on crap. I'll have you know I made this headdress myself after opening a box of wine and YouTubing old episodes of Art Attack" Source: Foxtel

Pettifleur tells Gamble that she's coined a nickname for HER: 'Carnival Clown Barbie'.

"I'm not going to tell you what it means. I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later. Anyways, tell me about your gorgeous gown — how did you buy it? Do you get an allowance?"

Oh. No. She DIDN'T.

"Don't speak to me like that. I'm going. How f*cking rude," says Gamble, and with that, she's off.

"OK, walk away," Pettifleur smirks, looking for all the world like she won the argument.

Who do YOU think won the stoush, dear reader? The woman who refused to answer derogatory personal questions and removed herself from the situation, or the woman who is now sat drinking alone in a bar dressed as Tonya Harding circa 1987?

"I got her good, isn't that right — oh, there's no-one here." Source: Foxtel

No sooner has Gamble swanned out of the bar do the others rock up to greet Pettifleur, who acts all sweet n' innocent.

"Give me smacks everybody! I asked Gamble if she's got an allowance. Maybe it was naughty of me … I cant say anything because I'll get into trouble!"

Lydia is clearly having NONE OF IT.

"STOP IT. You're not a child," she snarls.

Gamble returns to the bar (to be honest, it may have been less of a 'walkout' than a 'toilet break') and she and Pettifleur agree to a truce — of sorts. Basically, they agree to stand at opposite ends of the group. Whatever works, ladies.

Pettifleur then regales the group with her plans to buy a brand new Bentley for her birthday … *cough* Nouveau Riche Barbie *cough*

Lydia's in the mood for a bit of stirring: "Who's buying it, Pettifleur? Who's buying it?"

"Well, whatever comes my way from [partner] Frank on my birthday, then so be it," is Pettifleur's coy response.

"Really? That's a huge … ALLOWANCE," says Lydia. YAAAS GURL.

Lydia, seen here checking her reflection in Pettifleur's cranial jewels Source: Foxtel

After such an exhausting holiday telling each other to go and get f*cked, the girls end their trip with a visit to a relaxing health spa. While the others dress down in flowing, voluminous holiday-wear, Gina sticks to her uniform: tight-fitting sparkly frock, handheld clutch. Well done Gina.

Neck rubs, foot massages, maybe even a light off-camera colonic — it all looks like heaven. Something tells us, though, that Gina's not really the 'massage' type:

Perhaps the long-term exposure to super-hold hair spray has had an effect on her neck joints? Source: Foxtel

At dinner after their spa day, Gina does seem to be in more of a relaxed mood. Keen-eyed RHOM watchers will notice she barely EVER drinks, instead preferring to keep control of her behaviour while those around her turn into drunken babbling messes. But tonight, she's having a cheeky wine — a "peeno gridgey-o," as she calls it.

As dinner wears on, Gamble finally asks Pettifleur to explain the nickname 'Carnival Clown Barbie.'

Clearly very proud of herself, Pettifleur explains that Gamble reminds her of those carnival games in which you have to put balls in the mouth of a dead-eyed, vacant clown while its head rotates from side to side.

"Oh, is that all? Oh well darling, there have been a few balls in my mouth."

With that, she smiles, shrugs, and takes a hearty sip of her wine.

Gamble Breaux, you are doing Real Housewives right. Source: Foxtel

DOUZE POINTS, GAMBLE.

Next week: Pettifleur's love of ridiculous headwear reaches new heights — and is Gamble really embroiled in a nude photo scandal?

The Real Housewives of Melbourne screens 8:30pm Sundays on Foxtel's Arena Channel.

Check back here right after each episode screens for our full recap.

In the meantime, check in with recapper Nick Bond on Twitter (@bondnickbond) to ponder the age-old question: "When did you last have a good shaaaaaaaag?"


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10 most terrifying roads ever

Trolstigen road is one of the dangerous trips. Source: Getty Images

IF YOU just can't feel satisfied without navigating hairpin turns, dizzying elevations, and gravel surfaces with no guardrails to protect you, we've got you covered with this bucket list of freaky routes.

Some of these are highly travelled destination roads, some get very little traffic, and others are obscure to most drivers. But if you can patiently and carefully handle them in the proper vehicle, you'll be rewarded with some tasty visual treats, plus access to unique mountain-climbing and cycling adventures.

We'd tell you to buckle up, but we're not sure how much even doing that will help you here (of course, do it though!):

Road of Death (North Yungas), Bolivia

Death Road in Bolivia. Picture: AHLN Source: Flickr

There's nothing ironic about the name of this 61 kilometre journey that goes from over 4570 metres in La Paz to 1188m in Coroico — it is the black widow of roads. Its claim to fame is being named the world's most dangerous road by the Inter-American Development Bank, and it's estimated that 200 to 300 people travelling on it die each year.

It's not hard to see why the road is so dangerous: It's barely the width of one vehicle, with no guardrail to protect you from falls of up to 609m. Rain can make the road muddy and slippery, and rain or fog can reduce a driver to feeling blindfolded.

Still, there's a siren song here that attracts thousands of people, from danger-loving tourists to hardcore cyclists. The view of the Amazonian rainforest is astounding, and standing right over the sheer drops here will bring out the lemming in many of us. Tour groups that serve the road include Barracuda Biking and Gravity Bolivia.

Lippincott Mine Road, Death Valley National Park, California

This little-used 11km route in and out of the park near the famous Racetrack Playa really puts the "Death" in Death Valley. It's a faster route to the park than others, but you might be clenching your jaw the whole way, trying not to fall hundreds of feet to oblivion, and it's not for the casual driver or the casual car. This is four-wheel-drive territory only.

My friend Doug did the honour of driving us out of Death Valley via Lippincott at the end of our camping trip last fall, and by the time we had slowly descended the almost 600m drop, I felt like the park had chewed us up and spat us out into Saline Valley.

What could kill you here? Let us count the ways. There are no guardrails, and there is the constant threat of a steep fall if you're not careful — at times, there's just a foot or two of gravelly space to navigate. You'll be driving around or over some large rocks that could break your vehicle, and if that doesn't do it, the park's intense heat could if you're making the climb into Death Valley during the hotter months. There's no towing service, no water source, no road signs and no cell reception. Other than that, this drive is like Christmas.

Still, competent drivers in the right vehicle can make this trip safely. Make sure you stop along the way to capture some gorgeous views of the valley below. Also, if you enter the park this way, you're just three miles from the Racetrack and its otherworldly beauty. Just play some Metallica at full blast, as we did in this video clip, to give you the adrenaline rush you need to survive.

Dalton Highway, Alaska

The frozen Dalton Highway. Source: AFP

While the Road to Hana is seductively warm and dangerous, this frosty, gravelly, pothole-laden route is as seductive as a White Walker in Game of Thrones. The Dalton Highway was opened for one thing: transporting oil. And it covers 666km of desolate, icy terrain.

This is the route of Ice Road Truckers fame, and you'll have to excuse the truckers for thinking you're crazy if you want to drive this highway for fun. Let's put aside the freezing cold and often miserable road conditions, with 18-wheelers pounding your vehicle with ice. On a single 386km stretch, there are no service stations, restaurants or basic services — the longest such stretch in North America. There are three — count 'em, three — service stations the entire way. And don't count on cell service at all.

Still, there are enticements to taking your chances here. You can say you've crossed into the Arctic Circle, which the highway does. And if you visit at the right time, you can slowly pull over and watch the northern lights.

A guide is highly recommended here unless you know your survival skills, as you'll need to pack provisions, including fuel. And be on the lookout for freeway closures, such as the one that happened just after flooding from the Sagavanirktok River.

Trollstigen Mountain Road, Norway

One of the turns on the Trollstigen pass, Norway. Source: Getty Images

As dangerous roads go, this is among the most visited in the world, and for good reason: It overlooks a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Geirangerfjord on the west coast of Norway. I'd like to say that I gave death a noogie as I raced this road's 11 hairpin turns and 9 per cent incline in an Alfa Romeo, but in fact, I slowly weaved through it on a large tour bus. Next time, I swear.

Dangerous conditions here include the incline, narrow driving space, and the poor traction and visibility that come with rain and fog. But oh man, those views: There are ideal photography opportunities where you can pull over and capture the fjords and lush valleys below, and waterfalls so close you can touch them.

Note: The road closes in October and opens in May.

Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii

It's a stunning trip, but be cautious. Source: Getty Images

Paradise is worth the risk, which is why the 67km of Highway 360 to Hana in eastern Maui are such a tourist favourite. You'll have to navigate through and around 600 hairpin turns, 54 one-lane bridges, steep cliff drops, falling rocks, and even some confusing mile markers that reset. Plus it rains often, so there's that.

But the rewards for your risk are considerable: You probably won't have time for them all, in fact. The road itself is full of pull-over-right-now photography opportunities, but venture deeper and you'll find such rare beauties as Wai'anapanapa State Park's black sand beach, Twin Falls, Wailua Falls, and the laid-back charm of Paia Town.

Drive slow and you'll be fine here — you'd better, in fact, because police strictly enforce the 25-mph speed limit.

Fairy Meadows Road, Pakistan

Is climbing the world's ninth-highest mountain not challenging enough for you? Fine. Just try driving to the base of it. If you want to climb Nanga Parbat, you'll have to ascend six death-defying miles to Fairy Meadows. The gravel road is completely unmaintained, there are no guardrails to protect you, and it gets so narrow that near the end you'll have to cover the last section by walking or biking.

The road is prone to avalanches and heavy snowfall, and it closes in the winter.

Skippers Canyon Road, Queenstown, New Zealand

Welcome to a road so dangerous, your rental car insurance won't be honoured if you drive on it. Only one other road in New Zealand has that honour.

Yet you will be tempted to drive this one-lane, twisting terror with steep drops because it abounds with natural beauty and photo ops, including the Shotover River directly below you. Skippers Canyon Road is cut into the side of a mountain and extends 26km in New Zealand's South Island, 40km from Queenstown. It's considered one of the country's most scenic routes. The miners who built the road in the late 1800s didn't think much about luxury, though — it's unpaved and very narrow. Should you encounter a car driving the other way, one of you will have to back up gingerly until you can find enough room to pass. Good luck figuring out which of you that will be.

For an adventure trip, you can hire a tour bus to do the driving for you, such as a jet boating tour with Skippers Canyon Jet.

Skipper Canyon. Picture: Russellstreet Source: Flickr

Los Caracoles Pass, Chile

If you impressed yourself by driving down the curves of Lombard Street in San Francisco, this is just like that, only 1000 times more challenging. Called the "Snails Pass" by locals, this serpentine mountain pass in the Andes connects Santiago, Chile, to Mendoza, Argentina. It reaches 3200m in elevation, and this being the Andes, it's known for getting heavy snowfall: About 15,000 travellers were stranded for 10 hours on the Argentine side in 2013, when the road had to be closed because of snow and cold.

When you reach the summit of this road, you'll pass through the Cristo Redentor tunnel, and the heaviest, steepest switchbacks are on the Chilean side. You may need tire chains and plenty of patience to make it through here, but if you take your time, you should be able to avoid an accident.

Karakorum "Friendship" Highway, China and Pakistan

A bridge in the Karakorum area. Source: Getty Images

For some real altitude, take your chances with this 1287km drive. At 4693m, it's the highest paved international road in the world. And you can get a sense of how dangerous it is just by knowing that about 1000 workers died building this freeway before it opened in 1979.

The road's nickname stems from the collaboration between China and Pakistan in building it, but it can be unfriendly in practice, with little driving room, sheer drops, no pavement on the Pakistani side and flash floods.

However, Karakorum is an adventure lover's delight. Comprising part of the old Silk Road trade route, it offers views of soaring mountain peaks such as the K2 (second-highest mountain in the world), massive glaciers such as the Baltoro, and sprawling rivers such as the Indus.

\Bayburt Of Yolu-D915, Turkey

This road is arguably more dangerous than any other on this list. The D915 connects the Turkish cities of Bayburt and Of, near the Black Sea, and it spans 106km. It has many of the same hazards of the Death Road in Bolivia: It's only a lane wide in some sections and unpaved, with elevation exceeding 1980m and no guardrails protecting you from certain death. The often-poor weather adds to the danger.

Says the website Dangerousroads.org, "Words can't describe the road and pictures don't do it justice … the steep part is simply terrible. Curvy roads descending down the cliffs, often so narrow that you cannot turn the first time."

There are 29 hairpins turns, and things get gnarly in Çaykara, where the road climbs from 521m to 619, in just 5km, with 13 hairpin turns.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Travel and was republished via the NYPost.


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‘They were thinking about themselves’

Four sisters taken from their Australian mother and forced to live with their Italian father. An exclusive 60 Minutes interview, Sunday 8.30pm on Nine.

At peace ... The girls have a new clam life back in Italy. Picture: 60 Minutes Source: Supplied

AFTER being caught in the middle of one of the most bitter and public parental disputes in living memory, the Italian sisters have told their side of the story.

Three years after worldwide hysteria engulfed their family, the Vincenti sisters have broken their silence about the father they love, their happy lives in Italy and what they describe as the selfishness their parents showed during the ordeal.

Happy ... Claire and Emily say their parents were thinking about themselves. Picture: 60 Minutes Source: Supplied

Claire, Emily, Christine and Lily Vincenti were taken from their home in Italy by their Australian mother in 2010 and thrust into an ugly and public battle.

Their mother Laura Garrett, now aged 35, had Australian passports made for the girls after telling authorities they were fleeing their father, Tomasso Vincenti.

But her story came undone and the girls were returned to their father in 2012 after a hysterical and tearful goodbye that was broadcast to the world.

Speaking to Tara Brown on 60 Minutes tonight, the two eldest sisters said the ugly ordeal was behind them.

"I think they were thinking more about themselves than us, you know, because we were put at the centre of this whole situation, and … I don't know, they were a little bit selfish," Claire Vincenti said.

"Because you know, we went through all of this — I mean, they did as well, but it was most hard for us than them, 'cause, you know, they're the adults."

The girls want to set the record straight about the emotion that surrounded their departure from Australia. They were never scared to return to their father in Italy, despite what they may have said at the time.

"If I think about it now, maybe I've said stuff that … I exaggerated a little bit, and that was just because I was liking my life in Australia and that was just because I didn't want to leave," Claire said.

Settled in Italy ... The girls are leading a normal life in Italy. Picture: 60 Minutes Source: Supplied

The girls didn't know their father had been told they were on holiday in Australia.

They said it was hard to settle back into life in Italy after having been moved to the Sunshine Coast only a few years earlier. But they are happy to be reunited with their father and building a relationship with him.

The girls describe a calm and happy life in the Tuscan hills with their father. They are finishing school, dating boyfriends and still keeping in touch with their mother, who they haven't seen since they left Australia in October 2012.

"Probably we're going to see her this summer, she's coming to visit us," Emily said, adding that she felt very happy about the reunion.

The sisters said they were hopeful of a future that included both parents.

"I'm happy with my life. You know, Australia's very far away, but I would like to you know, do both, them both, go visit Mum and her family and stay a little bit here with Dad," Claire said.


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Game of Thrones star was a stripper

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 11 April 2015 | 20.01

Game of Thrones made an American Premiere splash for season 5 as the stars of the show hit the red carpet. Check it out.

Game of Thrones ... Season 5 has got fans in a flutter. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

WHILE the sex and nudity will again no doubt headline reviews of Game of Thrones, one newbie actor to Season 5 is pretty comfortable with it, after all he learned about getting his kit off as a male stripper in Sydney.

The imposing 6'6 tall British actor Deobia Oparei is a well known stage and screen actor in the UK with bit roles dating back to Alien 3 in 1992 and culminating in blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean in 2011.

But unknown to many was he got his confidence in acting as a professional male stripper and drag queen in Sydney in the mid 1990s where he lived for seven years.

Oparei — who takes the role as Areo Hotah, captain of Prince Doran Martell's guards in the new season — initially blanked when asked about his striptease days but then laughed and admitted he didn't mind "getting out my booty".

The `Witchdoctor' ... Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand and Deobia Opaeri as Areo Hotah. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

"I did everything, I use to be a drag queen, I use to be a stripper," he told News Corp Australia.

"I am an actor and I started here (in the UK) and I was working at the Royal Shakespeare Company and the national theatre and I was like 22 years old and I felt like I had started when I was 16 or 17 acting and I hadn't seen, I hadn't lived, I hadn't seen anything of life. I went on tour to Sydney with a theatre company and I thought I want to live here and I want to stop acting and I want to learn to dance and I want to learn to become a writer to become a dancer and become a stripper, I want to do all the things, I thought I want to do all the things I couldn't do.

"So I was 22 I got to Sydney and I became all of those things. And I had these seven years where I lived this incredible maverick lifestyle of being a street performer, I use to have this character called 'The Witchdoctor' that was based at The Rocks in Sydney where I would dance half naked and then I got invited to do hens nights and whatever and a stripper. I just thought if I want to be an actor, how could I be an actor and not have experienced different parts of life, experience what it's like to live so I spent seven years doing all these different kinds of jobs."

When asked why he gave that life up, he laughed and replied "why do you think I have?"

More blood, more sex, more nudity. Game of Thrones Season 5, Sunday TV Guide, today


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Behind the breakfast TV war

The Today show host has responded to the backlash over comments he made on yesterday's show about Indians.

Breakfast battle ... The Today show, pictured, and Sunrise battle it out for viewers. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Channel 9

THE war for breakfast TV dominance has been raging ferociously for years, with Sunrise and Today pulling out all the stops to ensure they top the timeslot.

From dramatic changes in faces and format to wars of words between talent and producers, the fallout has endlessly fuelled the gossip pages.

Adam Boland's book spilt the beans on Sunrise rifts and gave readers plenty to talk about.

To outsiders, it seems an overly dramatic battle for a measly number of viewers. A good day sees a ratings figure of around 300,000.

But those numbers hide the enormous reach of each show and their importance to the network — both financially and in building viewer loyalty.

Invaluable to the network ... Natalie Barr, Samantha Armytage, David Koch, Mark Beretta. Picture: Channel 7 Source: Channel 7

"Up to four million viewers are watching at least five minutes of the breakfast shows every week," said media expert Nathan Cook.

The ratings cover a two-hour time span between around 7am and 9am.

"But very few people are going to sit down and watch an entire two hours of TV in that time," Cook said of why the ratings don't reflect that mass reach.

"Not only is that a big number for the networks, but breakfast TV is a platform they use to effectively cross promote and drive viewers into their peak audience areas."

Setting the tone

"One of the most important purposes for Sunrise is to set up Seven for the rest of the day," said Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell.

The Morning Show had first footage ... The siege at the Lindt Cafe in Sydney's Martin Place. Picture: Channel 7 Source: Channel 7

"Number one, we're the first show you see when people wake up and we're on every single day of the year."

"We're there every day and have developed a relationship of trust with our viewers. They know if something big has happened, we're going to be there to cover it. Sometimes a breaking news story can be on air for seven or eight hours live."

An example would be the recent siege at the Lindt Cafe, which saw all hands on deck as the story unfolded live outside the Seven studio in Sydney.

And another reason, added Pell, is to ensure the network's prime time schedule performs at its peak.

"Because we start the schedule we look at cross promotion," he said.

"We're pushing towards shows that are on prime time and then they push back to us the next morning. Breakfast and prime time are intrinsically linked."

Popular choice ... One Direction drew big numbers for the Today Show on their first visit to Sydney. Source: Supplied. Source: News Limited

The flow-on effect

Today executive producer Mark Calvert agreed the impact on what happens on his show has far reaching consequences for the success of other products.

"It's like any publicity, whether it's for (a Nine show) or a music actor or an author," he said. "You absolutely have an impact on what people are watching and buying."

"You might have an artist on the show and their song is sitting at number 20 on the iTunes charts and by 9.15am, after they've been on air, they're number one."

The bottom line

"Across Today and Sunrise you're battling for about $150 million worth of advertising dollars," a source inside one of the shows speculated.

That's a wrap ... Michael Pell and the Sunrise crew celebrate the end of their recent Hawaii trip. Picture: Instagram Source: Instagram

Cook said while he doubts the figure is quite so high, the format of breakfast shows lend themselves to sponsorship and integration opportunities prime time shows can't offer.

"Shows that are open to integration are becoming more valuable," he said.

Plus given many people avoid watching advertisements due to time-shifting or downloading, the live nature of breakfast TV means that they are more likely to be seen.

"Not many people record a breakfast show and watch it later," said Calvert. "So the ad spots become increasingly important at breakfast."

The new prime time

"People think with Michael (Pell) and I and our shows there's a rivalry," said Calvert.

"But what we do across both shows is great for our audience and our companies."

Popular ... Grant Denyer has had a meteoric rise since doing the weather on Sunrise. Source: Channel Ten Source: Channel 10

"We used to joke that breakfast is the new prime time. Given the way things have changed, it's actually true in terms of the volume of people watching, the buzz we create across the wider community and the scrutiny we're under."

From popular presenter awards to who's making news headlines, there's no doubting the Sunrise and Today teams have become the biggest names on their respective networks.

"To say it's the new prime time is a bit of a stretch, but breakfast is a big part of network strategy in building network loyalty," said Cook.

"It's no coincidence that when a big story breaks it's usually someone from the breakfast show that jumps on a plane and goes to report from on the ground. "

Making stars

Breakfast TV has launched a slew of successful faces including Family Feud's Grant Denyer, Beauty and the Geek host James Tobin and 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes.

Before 60 Minutes ... Steve Liebmann and Liz Hayes were Today Show co-hosts on and off from 1986 to 1996. Photo: Supplied Source: News Corp Australia

"Sunrise has become a star factory," said Pell. "There's so many hours of TV to fill and people develop a really close relationship with (the cast). They're also honing their skills like nobody else so that when it comes to doing prime time live, they've done it before.

The show also has a "halo effect" on regular visitors or stand-in presenters, said Pell.

"A lot of that is because of the popularity on the show and it's helped people to go on to have success in other aspects of their careers," he says.

As a result, the number of people vying for a shot on breakfast TV is "huge", said Calvert. "They see what a great gig it is. A lot of people who aren't on the show would like to be, I know."


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New Biggest Loser host revealed

Expect tears ... Fiona Falkiner is a self-confessed crier. Source: Supplied

THE Biggest Loser has shed its host Hayley Lewis, in a new rebranding of the popular Channel 10 series as TBL Families, which will see one of the show's great success stories, international plus-size model Fiona Falkiner replace her as presenter of the 10th season.

Lewis, a former darling of the Australian Olympic and Commonwealth Games swim team, quietly confirmed to her Facebook followers she had left the weight-loss program after five years.

The married mother of two said it was "time to move on," focussing on family life with her husband and sons, while throwing her energies into growing a burgeoning Brisbane retail business, Coming Up Roses.

LOSER WINNER: 2014 Biggest Loser winner Cameron Brown's new lease on life

DARK SECRETS: The truth behind the US version of The Biggest Loser

Welcome back ... Fiona Falkiner is returning to the placed that made her famous, The Biggest Loser. Source: Supplied

The popular host became known for her heart-warming habit of crying along with the struggling

contestants, who will find a new shoulder to lean on in Falkiner, herself a seasoned "sook" who

wept her way through her own weight loss challenges in season one.

The 31-year-old proved a fan favourite in the first series, in 2006, losing 30 kilograms and finishing in the final four.

Falkiner says she barely recognises the young woman she was when she signed up.

"The girl I was 10 years ago was really shy, insecure. I had very little self confidence, I just wasn't a very happy person," Falkiner said.

After growing up in Victorian country town Birregurra, with a population of just 600, the then impressionable 22-year-old said she'd "been living life through my friends and putting my life on hold because of my weight."

"My time on the show gave me time to grow, to become an independent woman who took control. To realise this was my life and I just had to become a more confident, happy, healthy person."

Embracing her curves and maintaining her luscious size 16 figure has seen her draw on the lessons learned under the tutelage of TBL's American trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, who were part of the Australian series in its early days.

Can't wait to start ... new Biggest Loser host Fiona Falkiner. Source: Supplied

"There have been ups and downs, but I've been able to revert to the lessons I learned on the show and implement those into my life. It honestly helps me every day...it was a great experience."

She rejects suggestions the show goes to extremes or exploits people at a high-risk period of their lives, arguing: "for a lot of people, it's either this or surgery...it's their last chance. The show is about promoting being the happiest, healthiest people they can be."

Despite coming to love her curves, Falkiner is still determined to fight against the stigma surrounding plus-size modelling - even in her personal life.

"I've been on dates before where I've mentioned my job and they've said, 'oh great, I'll take you for a burger.' That really, really frustrates me because that's the stigma, but that's not what it's all about. Yes I've got curves, but I have to maintain it, eat well, drink lots of water. I have to be aware of the choices I make. I have to keep on top of it or I will regain weight. There are people like me out there, who find it a little bit harder to maintain a healthier lifestyle but when you get in the swing of it, you just feel so much better."

It's this empathy and Falkiner's own time on the TBL scales which Ten's programming boss Beverley McGarvey says will make the new host "a great source of support, compassion and inspiration to the contestants."

Falkiner admitted blubbing her way through the show's back catalogue of episodes in preparation.

"I've been re-watching a few seasons since I got back to Australia and I said to the producers, 'is it okay if I cry, because I am a bit of a crier.' When I was on the show, I think I cried almost every episode."

A secret to her own triumph over the scales on the show, perhaps?

"Absolutely, just cry it out," Falkiner said, laughing. "A good cry is good for the soul."

A new season of the Shine Australia production is currently filming in Sydney and will air on Ten later this year.


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The woman who saved my autistic twin

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 10 April 2015 | 20.01

Johnny McMahon and Mary Ann Napper with their mother, Kathleen Cropper. Source: Supplied

MARY Ann Napper knew her twin was different, but it was only when she started school without him that she realised how much.

While she went to a typical Wollongong Catholic school, Johnny was diagnosed with "mental retardation" and sent to a "spastic centre". Her sibling was, in fact, profoundly autistic, but the twins were born in 1946, and the word did not even exist.

"I became more aware of people's reactions to us in public because of his autistic behaviour," Mary told news.com.au.

"There was the hand flapping, twisting of the head, his gait and the noises. People would move out of the pew at church because he was being a disturbance. I wouldn't invite friends home because I was afraid I would lose their friendship."

The twins playing together as children in Wollongong. Source: Supplied

As his twin, and the eldest of six children, Mary was assigned the role of Johnny's caretaker. She would wash and dress him, feed him and help him use the toilet.

"Growing up in that era, you never questioned your parents," she said. "I just accepted it. I couldn't get any answers and considered it my role to care for him and look after him.

"Mum said he was mentally retarded and it was God's will. Another time she said that he didn't get enough oxygen in the womb. As the older twin, for many years I felt responsible. I felt very alone and quite desperate."

Mary has now written a book, Born to Fly, based loosely on her experiences. She says it has helped her work through many of those buried feelings and come to terms with them.

"I did have a bond with him as his sister, so it was hard," she said. It grew increasingly difficult for Mary to care for her brother, and the authorities told the family he should be institutionalised. Searching for answers, the twins' parents Kathleen and John McMahon came across woman named Cath McCarthy, a Mothercraft nurse in Queensland who had reportedly changed the lives of many emotionally withdrawn children with her unorthodox methods.

Mary helps Johnny cut the cake at their 21st birthday, around the time he was sent to a mental institution. Source: Supplied

As it turned out, Cath was a woman far ahead of her time, who helped her wards develop with techniques still used on autistic people today. Johnny blossomed in her care.

"She taught him daily living skills, she taught him to read and write," said Mary. "She was also able to address a lot of the physical behaviours — the head rolling and tongue protruding.

"She used rewards and behavioural techniques like gradually exposing them to the situations the child was afraid of. It's unfortunate she didn't get him earlier."

Mary visited Johnny during the school holidays, and watched Cath at work. "She was an incredible, insightful woman," said Mary, who remained close to Cath until she died in her 80s. "She was strict and firm, but she had this love for them. It was a privilege and honour to have known her.

"It's very sad her methods weren't recognised because she could have stopped many children being diagnosed with 'gross mental deficiency' and put in mental institutions, or kept at home but locked up".

The twins at 18 months old, before Mary became Johnny's carer. Source: Supplied

Cath showed Mary how to cope with Johnny's epileptic fits, and the family used the methods his twin observed when their son came home for visits. For five years, Mary had a "normal" teenage life, taking the opportunity to make friends and not tell them about her brother.

But when Johnny returned home, it wasn't long before he became aggressive and started self-harming. "My parents couldn't cope," said Mary. "It was affecting the whole family."

At the age of 20, Johnny was institutionalised at Gladesville mental institution. It was a desolate place, and Mary visited him every day to bring him food and take his washing.

"There were no activities in the ward," she said. "Nothing to stimulate them, it was just 'mad people' running amok and sedated with tranquillisers.

"My brother just sat in the corner. I was quite demoralised."

Unable to handle things herself, Mary went overseas, where she met her first husband in London. His family objected to her "convict heritage" and warned him that she would have "mentally retarded children".

Mary hopes her book will inspire people to look at autism in new ways. Source: Supplied

Nonetheless, the couple were married for 11 years and had two children. In 1985, they split up and Mary returned to Australia, moving to Mosman on Sydney's lower north shore.

Her twin's life changed too. In 1995, he moved to The House With No Steps in Wollongong, and finally found somewhere he could be happy.

"They gave him his independence, which he never had at home or in an institution," said Mary, now 69. "He and his housemates have activities, go out and buy groceries and their own clothes, cook under supervision and go to the local bowling club."

When Cath died in the 1970s, she gave Mary a document that recorded the history of another child in her care. It languished in a dusty cupboard for 45 years, until Mary realised what she should do with it.

She wasn't a writer, but she realised she had a wonderful story to tell, combining her story and Cath's into a fictionalised account of the nurse's pioneering work. "It's been a cathartic journey," she said. "Hans Asperger coined the word 'autism' but his papers about it weren't even published until the 1960s. There's still a way to go. There's a lack of understanding and a lot of ignorance."

Only a week ago, a Canberra principal was suspended for locking an autistic child in a cage. while this week, the nation shared the joy and relief of Luke Shambrook's family when he was found after he went missing for four days in the bush.

Mary hopes to inspire people to consider different approaches to helping people with autism interact with the world, and understanding their needs and unique perspective.

"Johnny has a lovely, quirky sense of humour, and he accepts everyone," she said. "They are lovely qualities we can all learn."

Born to Fly is out now, with 25% of all sales donated to Autism Spectrum Australia. To find out more about Mary or to buy the book, visit her website.


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Studying: why you’re doing it wrong

Graham Allcott's tips can help you to be more productive in your studies. Source: News Corp Australia

IF you're studying for more than 25 minutes then you're doing it wrong.

Productivity expert Graham Allcott recommends students hit the books for no longer than 25 minutes at a time to dramatically improve information retention and actually boost the amount of effective study time.

Testing yourself after each study session is also a powerful way of remembering what you are being taught, and more effective than using a yellow highlighter, he said.

"When you're reading, have a 25-minute period of time to do the work and then, after your 25 minutes, you take a five-minute procrastination break,'' Mr Allcott said.

"It manages your retention. You are breaking while you are in full flow, before your brain gets tired, so what that does is you can do hours and hours more revision.''

Allcott, author of How to be a Knowledge Ninja, says mobile phones, emails and social media are compounding procrastination among students.

'

Lazy is OK ... give yourself a five minute procrastination break every 25 minutes and your studying will be much more effective. Source: Getty Images

But there are ways to improve study efficiency — and reduce panic at exam time — that can be as simple as testing yourself after each study session to reinforce what was just learned.

"Self-testing is more effective than writing out notes … using highlighter pens … or all of those other (study techniques),'' Mr Allcott said.

"And if you have done self-testing and you have things wrong, the brain processes that while you sleep.

"So the idea is little and often. If you can self-test at the end of every study session — whether it's after an hour, or a couple of hours or a day … it's better, statistically (than re-reading study material or taking notes).'

He said to be most effective, self-testing should become habitual.

Facebook ... limit distractions by closing other applications on your computer. Picture: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma Source: AP

"They say cramming is the lazy person's way of studying but, actually (self-testing) little and often is a much better efficiency approach,'' he says.

"The brain processes stuff while you sleep, so if you cram, you generally don't have a good quality sleep.

"Little and often is actually the lazy person's way of studying.''

Other key tips from Allcott include avoiding procrastination by breaking large assessments into smaller parts so they appear more achievable and closing all unnecessary — and distracting — windows on your computer.

During lectures, he suggests students try to get up and change seating every 45 minutes to aid concentration.

If moving is not possible, he recommends students turn their notebooks upside down to achieve a different perspective.

"It's a little bit hippy and it sounds quite strange but (moving yourself or your study materials around) is almost like rebooting your attention,'' he said.

Ella Chorazy ... the QUT student is taking a social media break during her studies. Picture: Mark Cranitch Source: News Corp Australia

Queensland University of Technology PhD student Ella Chorazy, 28, is part way through writing a thesis on political communication and knows how easy it is to give into procrastination.

To aid her study, Chorazy is on a self-imposed social media blackout until she submits her thesis later this year.

"(The social media ban) is something I did for the last three months of my Honour's degree and I actually found it quite useful,'' she said.

"When I think about having to write 100,000 words for my PhD, it's sort of paralysing and I think, 'Oh, my God, I can't do that'.

"So I also set microgoals a lot and break things down into smaller manageable chunks, like just writing one paragraph of my thesis at a time.''


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Car plunge mum reunited with daughter

Akon Goude, left, visiting her daughter at the Royal Children's Hospital. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin Source: News Corp Australia

MOTHER and daughter survivors from the Lake Gladman tragedy have been reunited.

Dad Joseph Manyang said daughter Aluel had given her mum a "big hug".

"She didn't believe that her mum was still alive," he said.

"She was asking yesterday (about her mum)."

Mr Manyang said his daughter was expected to make a "100 per cent" recovery and she should be allowed to go home within four days.

Aluel was moved from the intensive care unit at the Royal Children's about 5.15pm yesterday.

Ms Guode visited her daughter for the first time but did not stay the night in the hospital.

She is expected to return today.

Other relatives remained with the child.

Akon Goude with one of her daughters. Source: Supplied

The bedside vigil came as:

* A RELATIVE reveals the four children were playing in a park near the lake with their mum before the incident,

* FUNERAL arrangements have begun for baby Bol, and four-year-old twins Anger and Madit,

* THE children's mother cannot bare to return home,

* POLICE continue a long, complex investigation to understand how the Toyota Kluger plunged into Lake Gladman.

The stricken mother arrived at Royal Children's Hospital about 4.45pm accompanied by a dozen relatives and the child's father, Joseph Manyang.

Ms Guode covered her head with a floral scarf and walked silently with her head slightly bowed as she entered the front door of the hospital.

Friends said she was exhausted, weak and shocked.

Relatives of Akon Goude yesterday. Picture: Mark Dadswell Source: News Corp Australia

Tributes are left at the scene in Wyndham Vale. Picture: Mark Dadswell Source: News Corp Australia

Cousin Makok Alier said Ms Guode was so traumatised that she had been "a mute".

"As everyone would have to imagine ... she is not as well — she is still in shock," Mr Alier said.

The family gathered in front of the hospital to show their solidarity and to publicly thank the Australian public for their outpouring of support.

Mr Alier said the family was standing by Ms Guode.

"We are all mourning and the primary concern we are dealing with is the emotional (condition) of her and ourselves," he said.

A statement from the family described Ms Guode as a "wonderful mother".

It read: "(Akon is) known to be humble; a quiet mother, hardly angry at one in the community or within the family".

Reading the statement, Mr Alier said the family was struggling to accept the deaths of "three angels" but they had sought solace from the Bible.

"As loved ones we could not have accepted lives of these beautiful ones perishing accidentally — it is painful, evil and unjustified," he said.

"We did not wish them to go so soon.

"Let their souls rest in peace."

Akon Goudeis picked up by relativesafter being released from the St. Kilda Road Police Complex. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: News Corp Australia

The family thanked paramedics, police, MFB, and the Sudanese and wider communities.

They said they were appreciative of the condolence message from Premier Daniel Andrews.

The united front came less than 24 hours Ms Guode was released without charge by police after being questioned by homicide squad detectives

Mr Manyang told the Herald Sun Ms Guode had explained the moments before the crash.

"She explained to me she had a dizzy (spell). The dizzies happened and then she didn't realise anything until she eventually woke up ... and they fell into the water," Mr Manyang said.

"What she said, when unconscious, she had no control of the car. You don't feel yourself when that happens."

The explanation of a black out was also echoed by Ms Guode's eldest daughter.

Mr Manyang said Ms Guode was staying with relatives as the memories of her children playing around their family home were too much for her to stay there.

The sight of portraits of the young kids around the house were also a devastating reminder of her loss, he said.

"She's very shocked," he said. "She didn't get any sleep.

"She was crying every 10 minutes. She remembers everything at home and how the kids were walking around and playing.

Apart from high blood pressure, Mr Manyang said Ms Guode did not have any medical problems.

Mr Manyang said Aluel remembers the crash and believes her siblings were taken by crocodiles in the water.

"Always when they see water they think of crocodiles, so that's what she said. She said they'd fallen into the water and there were crocodiles eating my younger brothers and sister.

"But she's OK, she's stable now. I'm going to go visit her again today.

Police divers prepare to remove Akon Guode's car after it plunged into a lake off Manor Lakes Blvd. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia

"We hope to bring her home soon. It'll depend on the doctors and what they say."

Ms Guode's eldest daughter Akoi Chabiet, 19, said a black out was being investigated as the cause of the fatal incident.

"This was just an accident. When the officers came to our house they just said she'd had a blackout."

The Deakin University law student described her mother as "loving" and said she would not have got through her Year 12 studies last year without her.

"My mother is a very good lady," she said.

"We've been through a lot. Since we were in Africa she's the one who raised us to bring us here to this day and I don't think she'd hurt us in anyway.

"My mum and I raised them since they were born.

"I was their mother, their father, their sister. I was their everything. To see them all gone is just really hard."

She recalled how the twins, Madit and Anger, were "cheeky" and how Anger would always call her "princess".

"My little sister, she always called me a princess because I looked after her," she said.

She said she would " always remember them" and hoped to have twins of her own in the future so she could name them after her lost siblings.

Ms Chabiet said she hadn't spoke with her mother yet during this "hard time".

"I hope all of this ends and we can all be a family together again because she doesn't deserve this.''

A police diver in the Wyndham Vale lake. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia

The Herald Sun has been told Ms Guode had taken her children to play in a nearby park to the lake right before the family Toyota Kluger was driven into Lake Gladman.

Relative Magdalina Acieny said the mother of seven had phoned her older daughters at home to tell them to start preparing a chicken dinner.

Ms Acieny, the niece of Ms Guode's partner, said Ms Guode had phoned the girls about an hour before the fatal crash.

"She can't believe it has happened, she doesn't know how she will survive without her little ones," Ms Acieny said.

Ms Acieny said Ms Guode was supposed to see a relative that afternoon but had first taken her children to play in the park after they had pleaded with her to come along

She said Ms Guode called her daughters from the park, asking them about dinner.

"She said, 'we're going to come home soon'."

"She asked them if they were cooking for the kids because by the time they got home they would be hungry. She asked them to cook chicken because they love chicken," Ms Acieny said.

"The accident happened on the way back from the park."

She said Ms Guode was due to move to a rental property in Pakenham with her seven children the day after the tragedy occurred, but had not yet signed the lease.

"She had hired a truck to come and collect everything at the house," Ms Acieny said.

Their home would be especially quiet without the twins, Madit, 4, and his sister, Anger, she said.

Priest Daniel Aleu had looked after two of Ms Goude's daughters as police interviewed her on Thursday night.

Mr Aleu said the family was part of his congregation at Holy Apostle Anglican Church in Sunshine.

He said Ms Guode was a caring mother.

"She's a very good woman, a very quiet woman so it's very shocking news for me and my family as well. Meanwhile, it was eerily quiet at the lake only two days after the crash.

The sounds of ducks on the lake only broke the silence as mourners continued to pay their respects to three little lost lives.

A sign spray-painted with the words ``RIP kids'' sat among the growing makeshift shrine of burning candles, flowers, children's books and teddies.

Cards with messages of condolences and support for the family also littered the lakeside memorial along with kid's hand-drawn pictures.

Volunteers were on standby for those in need of support.

A funeral is being planned for the three children, but a date has not been set.

Originally published as Car plunge mum reunited with daughter
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